


The Blind Leading The Oblivious

by arienelle



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-24
Updated: 2017-03-24
Packaged: 2018-08-23 15:09:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8332285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arienelle/pseuds/arienelle
Summary: A series of cute ficlets showing Aang's and Toph's slow but gradual comprehension of their feelings for one another.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Arienelle here. This series was originally posted on Fanfiction.net, but I wanted to move it over here.
> 
> Please review, I'm looking to improve my writing. :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> revamping this chapter in preparation for focusing back on this story.  
> :)

Toph was acting _really_ weird. And he didn't mean weird like the swamp benders.

Aang hadn't seen her since yesterday evening when she had basically ditched him in the city after the whole monorail incident. But before that whole ordeal, she had been acting strange for a couple of days. Cycling between being uncharacteristically quiet, to being irritated and surly, to being fidgety and standoffish like clockwork.

After spending almost a whole day searching for her, he had just meandered into the main courtyard of the Earth Kingdom's Royal Palace by himself.

Only for Toph to suddenly appear out of nowhere behind him. "Aang."

He nearly whipped his head off turning to the familiar voice, all of his earlier annoyance disappearing at the sight of the Earthbender.

"Toph!"

He bounded over to her and threw out his arms. "I've been looking _everywhereeee_ for you! Where have you been?!"

Toph didn't reply and instead took what she must have thought was a subtle step backwards, but he noticed and his grin slowly faded.

"Ummm," he looked away to watch a group of the Royal Guards going through a kata before peeking back at her. "....what's been up with you? You've been acting.....kind of weird."

He watched her shoulders reflexively hunch before she crossed her arms, and spoke harshly, "I-I'm—I am not acting weird."

"But you're stuttering..."

"LOOK." It was Aang's turn to flinch as the tiny Earthbender stomped a foot causing the polished stone underneath her to splinter with a series of sharp pops.

"We just—we just can't hang out anymore. Like ever again? Okay?"

Failing to miss the crack in her voice at the end, Aang frowned in both concern and confusion because _1)_ they were best friends and _2)_ they had literally been spending every day together this summer. "What are you talking about? Why can't we?"

No answer.

The hair on the back of his neck prickled. Aang's light grey eyes flickered back over to the Royal Guards to see that some had stopped their movements and were now watching them with mild interest.

The barely teenage Avatar made a face at them before noticing that Toph's cheeks were now more pink than normal.

"What's with your face? Do you have a fever? Are you worried about getting me sick? I promise I won't get sick, I promise. I'm super healthy right now." By now he had reached out and was grasping one of her wrists with both of his hands.

Toph squeaked. Well normally he would call it a squeak, but this was Toph that he was talking about and she did not do anything of the squeaky variety. The sound seemed to echo in the sudden stillness between them, while Aang's concern quickly mounted. He gently pulled her to him by her arm and softly asked, "Dude, are you okay?"

Then Toph _flailed_. She snatched her arm free before covering her face and groaning loudly. Aang warily watched through her fingers as her face turned bright red. The rapid change in her complexion combined with her unusual behavior finally made Aang's neglected hero complex spark to life.

"Oh Kyoshi, you must have a horrible fever." Grabbing the petite girl again, Aang yanked Toph close and quickly buried a hand under her overgrown bangs. He was so caught up with trying to check her temperature, he didn't notice Toph cringing at their close proximity. After feeling for a moment with his tongue out in concentration, he finally pulled back mystified. "Well Toph, you don't have an unnatural temperature or anything." The Avatar then leaned down to Toph's five-foot-three statue and looked intently at her face.

"Hmm…but your face and neck are nearly _crimson_ though." He leaned in even closer, still not noticing how Toph barely bit back a whimper as his breath lightly ghosted across her nose. Aang curiously reached out and pressed his finger to one of Toph's cheeks and watched as her skin flushed under the slight pressure.

The sudden contact jolted Toph out of her dazed state, and she instantly smacked Aang's probing hand away before pushing him down.

"WHAT," she snarled, "THE HECK IS WRONG WITH YOU?! DO YOU HAVE ANY REGARD FOR PERSONAL SPACE?!" The stone beneath them was splitting into chunks now, Aang getting jostled from his position on the ground.

"FYI, I'm not hanging out with you anymore because....I—I—I have to help Iroh with harvesting his tea leaves! Duh, idiot!" And she turned and stalked away, leaving Aang on his butt watching as she left small footprint-shaped craters in her wake.

He blinked after her in bewilderment before noticing a loud gasping sound behind him. Twisting around, he was greeted by the sight of all five of the Royal Guards roaring with laughter. Two were even wiping their eyes.

Aang groaned as one started holding his knees and flopped back on the rumble beneath him.

"What in Wan's name just happened?"


End file.
